AUSTINTOWN Oles fumes over 'grandstanding' colleagues

The other two trustees affirmed that a police levy will be on the ballot.
By IAN HILL
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
AUSTINTOWN -- Township Trustee Lisa Oles says her professional relationship with her two fellow trustees, Bo Pritchard and David Ditzler, has been destroyed and can never be repaired.
"We have no relationship," she said this morning. "They have burned a bridge that they will never cross again."
Oles is upset that trustees put forth a resolution at a special meeting Monday night to keep a 2.5-mill levy for police on the March ballot. The vote on the resolution was 2-1, with Oles opposed.
Trustees did not need to vote on the resolution Monday night, as they had already approved it in December. They only would have needed to put forth a resolution if they wanted to remove the levy from the ballot.
"Basically, they were grandstanding last night," Oles said. "They want to prove to the public that they're credible. They want to make sure I don't succeed in fulfilling my campaign promises."
Oles promised that she would rehire police officers laid off through budget cuts without increasing the tax burden on residents.
Cites community safety
Pritchard, however, said he proposed a motion to adjourn the meeting Monday night before the resolution to keep the levy on the ballot was put forth. He noted that neither Oles nor Ditzler seconded the motion to adjourn, and as a result, it died.
Ditzler then proposed the resolution to keep the levy on the ballot. In the past, he had said he did not want the levy to appear on the ballot unless it had the support of all trustees.
This morning, Ditzler said he felt the safety of the community outweighed unity among trustees.
"It's up to us to make decisions on what's in the best interest of the township," he said, adding that he believed Oles made her decision based on politics, and not the well-being of the community.
Ditzler noted that he voted for the levy even though it may cost him politically in his race for Mahoning County commissioner because he felt it was what's best for Austintown.
Budget cuts
Township officials have said the township is facing a deficit, and they've made several budget cuts, closed a fire station staffed by part-time firefighters, and laid off police and part-time firefighters to save money. If the levy is approved, it would allow the township to collect about $1.4 million each year in additional revenue for police.
Oles said she felt Ditzler and Pritchard were trying to drive a wedge between her, the police and the public by putting forth the resolution.
"I don't think they succeeded," she said.
Pritchard, however, said he believed Oles was losing public support.
"The public is getting very disenchanted with the fact that she wants to make a brouhaha out of every issue," he said.
hill@vindy.com